Writing a melody is one of the most elusive parts of songwriting.
There’s no formula. There are no guarantees.
But there are techniques you can use to help you write a melody that moves you.
And as a songwriter of 15+ years, I’ve learned some things about how to write a melody that sticks.
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What Makes A Good Melody?
Let me first clarify that a “good melody” is totally subjective. You might love a melody that I think is boring.
That’s the beauty of music.
But there are commonalities in the melodies that stick around.
The melodies that get stuck in people’s heads or move them to tears have certain elements.
So let’s talk about what those elements are…
Rhythm and phrasing
Humans are rhythmic creatures, which is why we latch onto melodies with memorable rhythms and phrasing.
Not only does a good melody groove, but the lyrics and melody are perfectly married.
The cadence of the words must fit the melody like a puzzle piece. Otherwise, it will sound awkward.
Repetition
Your melody can be way more singable if you use repetition, both in the melody and the rhythm.
This is why the cadence/phrasing of the lyrics needs to be somewhat consistent.
For example, let’s look at The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun.” The phrasing of the melody is consistent from one line to the next (in each respective section). The melody also repeats, but not too much that it gets old.
The bold lyrics below have the same melody and phrasing. The italicized lyrics have slightly different melodies, and the second line has one less syllable:
Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here
Similar enough that it’s memorable, but different enough that it’s interesting.
If you have to, I’d suggest counting out the syllables in your lyrics.
You may think I’m being nit-picky, but focusing on repetition — in melody and lyrical phrasing — will go a long way.
Sideways melodies (with some leaps)
A sideways melody moves from one note to the adjacent note in that scale.
So if you’re in the key of G major and your melody starts on G, a sideways melody would go to either the A or F#.
Sideways melodies work well because they’re easy to sing and remember.
Now, to surprise people (and yourself), use a leap in your sideways melody. This would be skipping the adjacent note.
You can skip a single note, jump to the next octave, or go anywhere in between.
The goal here is to have a singable melody that also catches people off-guard.
Contrast
Contrast is one of the most important aspects of a memorable melody.
This is when you present the listener with one thing, then give them a whole new thing that still fits with the first thing.
Maybe you have a calm verse that goes into an aggressive chorus.
Maybe you surprise people with a leap in your melody.
Or maybe you change keys.
Whatever you do, add some variation to your melody.
Make it clear when you’ve reached the chorus by using contrast.
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3 Melodies I Think Are Phenomenal
Now let’s look at a few very well-written melodies. These exemplify what I’ve been talking about.
All three of these use the elements I just covered.
Yesterday — The Beatles
“Yesterday” is a very sideways melody, which is what makes it so memorable and beautiful.
But it has some small leaps in there.
For example, there’s one on the line “Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say.” The words “why she” are the same note (A), then we jump to the note on “had,” which is five half-steps up (D).
And it doesn’t seem fair that this melody came to Paul McCartney in a dream.
Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes — Paul Simon
Paul Simon is the king of writing talkable melodies.
What I mean is, the phrasing of his lyrics perfectly fits his melodies (or vice versa?).
And he somehow fits a lot of lyrics into “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes.” But they work so well.
It sounds like he’s talking the words, but when you play and sing the song, you realize the melody is creative. It has leaps, rhythm, and contrast.
Viva La Vida — Coldplay
The key thing about the melody of “Viva La Vida” is its rhythm. Sometimes it’s syncopated with the rhythmic strings. Sometimes it goes off on its own.
And the melody itself is catchy, thanks to its mixture of sideways movements and leaps.
How To Write A Melody Of Your Own
Before I take you through one of the processes for writing a melody, let me say this…
Songwriting has only one rule: there are no rules.
So there’s no “correct” way to write a melody.
You do you, baby.
But how do you write an emotional and/or catchy melody?
Below are the steps I find useful…
Step 1: pick your instrument
If you play more than one instrument, you need to realize that each can change the dynamic of a song in different ways.
You’ll come up with different chords and voicings on a guitar than you would on a piano.
And that directly affects the melody you create.
Step 2: pick a key
Obviously, you need to know what key your melody will be in.
Just choose a key that fits your vocal range, both in the lower parts and upper parts.
Step 3: decide on your chord progression
I like to form my melody during or after I have my chord progression. They inform each other.
You just need a starting point, a foundation. That’s your chord progression.
Step 4: write the chorus melody
The chorus needs to convey the main idea of your song. And it needs to be the most memorable part too.
So put your initial creative inspiration into the most important part of the song — the chorus.
Step 5: write the verse melody
Once you’ve got the chorus melody (you don’t need lyrics yet), write the verse melody.
Just make it different enough from the chorus that it creates contrast.
If your chorus melody is in your higher register, make the verse melody in your mid-to-low register.
If the chorus has soaring notes, give the verse choppy, rhythmic notes.
Make it obvious which is the verse and which is the chorus.
Step 6 (optional): write the bridge melody
If you want a bridge in your song, you need it to write a whole new melody.
You can tip your hat to the verse or chorus melody within the bridge melody, but make sure the bridge adds something new to the song.
This is a great opportunity to use surprise.
Giving the listener a completely new section that flows back into the chorus keeps people (and you) interested, then quickly returns them to what they’ve already heard.
General Melody-Writing Techniques
On top of those steps for writing a melody, here are some general tips you can use during that process.
These are techniques I find very useful:
- Sing gibberish words: this helps you find a melody without the pressure of deciding on song lyrics right away
- Fit your lyrics into the melody: this helps the melody flow smoothly (plus, writing song lyrics without music is hard for me)
- Write your melody within one-and-a-half octaves: otherwise, it may be too difficult to sing
- Create a climax by taking your melody high: this could be in the chorus or even in the bridge
- Use contrast by writing very different melodies in the verse and chorus: it makes the melody much more interesting
- Use repetition: like I said above, repeating melodies helps you and the listener remember them better
- Start with someone else’s melody (like your songwriting idol): use the first 2-3 notes of another songwriter’s melody as your starting point
- Take a break: sometimes you can get too into your head and you need to step away
Honestly, the best piece of advice I can give you for how to write a melody is…
Write until you feel something.
Music is all about emotion. It’s all about making yourself and the listener feel something down in your gut.
So make sure your melody resonates with you. Otherwise, it won’t resonate with anyone else.
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